Entries posted by Tara Linton

I recently read an article about the health and safety of remote employees and how it is important to insure their well-being as much as it is on-site employees. Certainly the old adage of “out of sight, out of mind” should not apply in this case. The same goes for those remote employees that are included in your employee reward and recognition programs. While engaging communications are integral to all reward program participants, perhaps even more so for remote employees.

Remote employees are considerably more common these days but often times find themselves slightly detached or disconnected from the day-to-day happenings of the on-site/office staff. While this is to be expected since they are not physically present, it is the responsibility of the employer to create a recognition program that encompasses all employees through varying methods of communication, outreach and overall engagement.

Long gone are the days where staff meetings were the best/only way to reach all of your employees at the same time. From video meetings to texting to social media there is no shortage of tools that can and should be used to include remote workers. One of the biggest failures with regards to a reward and recognition program would be for a company to not strategize about how to effectively include and celebrate these employees.

I have written many times about the benefits of surveying a target audience – this situation is no exception. Don’t make assumptions about how to reach your remote workforce – find out directly from them how best to truly engage, motivate, and reward them for total program success!

The journey into safety rewards and recognition never needs to be a blind one. Often times a potential client will come to us not knowing where to start. We know that there are specific costs associated with safety (in particular – accidents) including lost time, claims, administrative expenses, and more. The best thing to do is to evaluate the company’s current state of affairs relative to safety and that includes costs, incident rates, claims, training, recognition, committees, regular meetings, etc. The more in tune a company is with their overall safety strategy and culture the more likely they are to create a properly designed and effective safety reward and recognition program.

Utilizing an outside vendor for these types of programs can be helpful, in part, because they can more objectively evaluate existing challenges and make recommendations to assist in creating a successful program.

When initiating a relationship with a client for a safety reward and recognition program we offer our Safety Questionnaire which evaluates:

– Goals

– Target Audience

– Retention Levels

– Training & Communication

– Accidents & Incidents

– Existing & Historical Programs

Many reward and recognition programs can be more challenging to plan for as there aren’t always hard costs to benchmark – safety is not one of them. Be sure to evaluate and assess before embarking on a safety reward and recognition program. Your existing hard costs can be invaluable tools in determining your program’s key areas of focus. By surveying your employees and benchmarking costs and statistics, your company will be better able to launch and maintain a reward and recognition program that continually provides cost savings and a safer workforce.

There are many things to think about when deciding how to shape your company’s rewards and recognition program. How will participants earn points? How often will points be awarded? Who is in the target audience? All important factors worthy of evaluation prior to a program launch.

One additional critical component that is absolutely essential to the creation of a successful program is branding. Simply naming your program “The ABC Company Rewards Program” is not enough and certainly is not memorable to your audience. While keeping a program name in line with the company branding guidelines is important to consider, we believe it is vital to success to in fact brand the program with its’ own identity.

Creating a branding strategy around your rewards and recognition program enables it to have a life of its’ own within the frame of the company mission. Within that branding strategy consider not only a program name but also logo, color scheme, tag line and mission. In determining the look and feel of the brand, those involved with creating and launching the program should be sure to evaluate target audience, overall goals, as well as anticipate how the program could potentially evolve (Will the target audience grow? Will additional objectives be added over time? etc.). The brand needs to encapsulate the program’s mission while taking into consideration company culture and the overall makeup of the participants (How can they be most engaged? What’s the best way to “speak” to them? What appeals to and motivates them?).

It’s highly recommended that a baseline survey of participants be conducted as part of program planning to gain specific insights into your audience. Taking this information into consideration when creating the program can help shape a brand that is meaningful to participants as well as those that will be part of driving program success – the management of the company.

While I’ll be the first one to admit the summer is moving too fast – we have to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge that the holidays will be here before we know it.

For many of us the holidays are about giving. And while many reward and recognition programs see an increase in redemption for rewards during this timeframe (with redemption often being synonymous with holiday shopping) – it’s not always about the “stuff.”

Allowing employees the opportunity to redeem points for items with a charitable component can go a long way for both the employer and the employee. There are various ways to do this including:

Offering specific products in the award selection that when redeemed – the manufacturer makes a donation to a designated cause

Allowing participants to redeem points for a “gift card” that facilitates a direct donation to the charities of their choice

Allowing employees to redeem points for time out of the office for an approved volunteer opportunity (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, United Way Day of Caring, etc.)

A major benefit of incorporating social responsibility into your company culture is that employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity increase in companies that do so properly.

At All Star, social responsibility is one of the six main disciplines in our wellness program. Employees are given the opportunity to participate in committees. The social responsibility committee works together to find opportunities for employees to volunteer, donate, and participate. Not only does the company give the employees a voice in how they can contribute but also the means to do so within and outside of our workday – which is a critical component to making it work.

And while the holidays tend to be a reminder about the spirit of giving – the pay it forward concept can and should be included year round into both a company’s culture and its reward and recognition programs.

Finding the key to what motivates employees is something that every employer faces at one time or another. Utilizing the framework of an existing wellness program or deciding to launch a new one as part of your motivational toolbox – is worth serious consideration. What many research studies on wellness programs have told us thus far is that employees are more productive and motivated when they know that their employer is invested in their total quality of life (not just what happens inside the office).

While benefits such as use of a company gym and bonus programs related to insurance carriers are all worthy, there are plenty of unique ways to take wellness to the next level and get your employees actively engaged. Something worth considering though, is that wellness doesn’t have to just be about the individual. The ability to weave team and individual goals together can inspire your employees and elevate the spirit of teamwork across an organization.

All Star Incentive Marketing’s very own wellness program has always promoted teamwork, competition, problem solving, results oriented events, and contests to encourage employees to achieve wellness oriented goals within multiple disciplines (financial health, fitness, healthy eating, weight loss, disease management, and social responsibility). This gives us a leg up when working with our clients to design their own programs.

While acting as a team to achieve wellness goals, many of our employees have found individual benefits of becoming healthier, fit and well-balanced. From the company’s perspective, an equally positive benefit is that through these pursuits, employees have furthered their abilities and willingness to successfully navigate business related challenges collectively.

Consider establishing some friendly team and individual competition within the scope of your wellness program to not only achieve health-related results but also to increase motivation.

Some of the motivational challenges that All Star has implemented include:

– Walking/step challenges

– Weight loss competitions

– Healthy eating quizzes

– Volunteer opportunities for spring clean-up

Spring is the perfect time to implement these types of challenges as everyone is ready for renewal in one way or another. For those employees that may not be willing to participate in the actual competition consider asking them to help administer the activities. Involvement on any level can have a positive impact for the company with results that pay off beyond measure.

I am rapidly approaching my 10-year anniversary with my company. It’s a family-owned business so already has a friendly built-in quality about it that makes it feel familiar before you even get to know anyone. I have made lifelong friends over the years – some have left and keep in touch and some are still here alongside me.

I am part of the orientation process here so when new employees start – I have the unique opportunity to meet with them one-on-one to talk about my day-to-day and how it fits into the overall company puzzle. The one thing that has struck me about every new employee is that each of them has said the same thing to me — “everyone here is so welcoming, nice, and happy.” So when I stumbled across this article about how friends at work make for happier employees and positively impact the bottom line I found it to be an interesting and relevant read for our industry.

I think my company does a great job encouraging friendships among co-workers – at the very least an atmosphere of true teamwork and support. And it seems to make great common sense that a company should promote this amongst their employees, doesn’t it? After all, when employees are fully invested not only in their work but also the people that they work alongside each day – the entire experience is more meaningful.

While I believe that companies would be remiss to not embrace the opportunity to promote friendships it certainly needs to be genuine and not just about the benefits it brings to a company’s bottom line. There are many ways for companies to foster these relationships not the least of which is a rewards program.

Whether it is a peer-to-peer program or even wellness – these types of programs can inadvertently result in stronger friendships among co-workers. And while these programs are not typically put in place with the sole benefit of helping employees become friends – I think it certainly is an ancillary advantage with the potential for a significant return that pays out in loyalty, increased productivity, and good old fashioned happiness.

Many companies come to us with a preconceived idea about the types of rules they should establish for their safety incentive program and typically the top item on the list relates to employees being incident and accident free. While being incident and accident free on both an individual and company-wide level is quite an accomplishment there really is so much more that can be incorporated into a program.

Utilizing leading indicators allows a company to measure performance vs measure failure. Rewards for proactive safety behaviors reinforce the correct actions that ultimately lead to an employee being incident and accident free in the long run. So, you end up with the same result but reinforce your safety messaging and training along the way – and furthermore engage your audience in messaging that truly means something. Rewards for leading indicators will significantly elevate the safety culture of an organization to the next level.

Rewarding employees for any of the following should be considered in creating a strong foundation for a safety incentive program:

I recently read a great article on branding – specifically about “naming” a company or service – that talked about the seven tests that a name has to pass before it should be used. I think it is applicable not only to a product or service but also to an incentive program – at least on some levels.

I have written about the importance of branding a program and giving it a life separate yet related to the company’s brand identity. Those companies that take the time to thoughtfully create an identity for their recognition and rewards program make it easier to engage with their audience and make it more memorable from the start.

In a previous blog I talked about the importance of measuring results and I still believe that is a key component for inclusion in the creation of a program strategy. Equally as important is the need for a communications plan.

One of the most likely contributors to a failing program is the lack of a communications strategy. We have seen it happen many times – a company launches a program and then “hopes” it essentially runs itself. Many companies believe in the power of incentives, recognition and rewards but often don’t realize the effort that it takes to create, launch, sustain, and enhance a successful program over time. If a program is not communicated on a regular basis in various ways….well then it is essentially out of sight – out of mind (and the likely demise of the program). Consider the program to be the flower and the communication the water – without it, it dies on the vine.

It is not only important to create a communications strategy for the launch but also one that evolves and is administered frequently throughout the life of the program. Communications must be multi-dimensional and targeted. Similar to the need for benchmarking prior to a program launch in order to properly measure results, surveying your audience(s) about how, where, when they obtain information is critical.

Apple rumor mills are working overtime as time ticks down to the September launch of what everyone believes to be the iPhone 6 – with a larger screen size among other features.

There have been rumors about the iWatch for quite some time now and many signs point to us actually seeing its’ launch sometime this fall. Most recently, we saw information that said November. This would be two months after the scheduled September event where we typically learn about iPhone, Mac, iPad, and iPod changes, updates and launches.

Given the excitement around the iPhone 6 and what aficionados and experts alike are saying (this could be one of the biggest product launches ever) I will be interested to see if Apple will make an additional splash (or potentially muddy the waters) with the iWatch. That is typically not their style so seemingly November could be legitimate.

Certainly – wearable technology is very hot and likely to be a major category this holiday season. Soon enough we will all know for sure if the iWatch rumors are true.

For a historical look and the latest on all the rumors – check out this story on CNET.

Given the amount of money, time, and resources it costs to recruit, hire, and train an employee it is a wonder why we so often hear from potential clients that they are faced with significant turnover challenges. More curious is why so few companies don’t really do much to specifically address it. Combating the turnover issue ultimately alleviates a host of other potential costly pitfalls.

Taking the time to understand what your employees need and want before they walk out the door is critical. Baseline surveys or even just regular sit-downs with HR empower employees to gain some control over their own destiny within the company. Enabling employees to weigh-in on what works, what doesn’t, as well as to offer suggestions for the future engages them and can secure their buy-in to the company’s next steps. Even if an employees’ suggestion is not implemented – they feel involved in the process and valued for being able to even give input at all.

The exit interview (if conducted) is often the time when employees reveal their real concerns, dislikes, and ultimate reasons for leaving. By checking employee temperatures along the way – a company can have a greater chance at preventing their departure while reaping the many benefits (financial or otherwise) that are tied to employee loyalty.

Click here for an interesting blog on the topic. The author outlines the Six E’s of Engagement and the top ten reasons why employees really quit – based on a survey of 20,000 “job quitters.”

Hello from Fleet Safety in Schaumburg, IL! We have had a great show and heard about many interesting challenges related to driver safety. One of the things that has struck me the most about our visit is that so many people we have spoken with not only have driver safety concerns but also wellness concerns.

We have been talking about wellness for quite some time and 100% believe that it is directly tied to safety. The fact is that a workforce that is less healthy is less safe. In addition, those employees cost a company more overall whether it is related to insurance, lost time, or both.

I think one of the key takeaways is to analyze all of the factors that contribute to the safety of your employees. Sometimes, it’s not just the obvious. While making sure a driver doesn’t have an accident is paramount – consider that their health and overall wellbeing impacts their ability to stay alert, react quickly, move swiftly, and more. Focusing on wellness is another way to achieve a safer workforce and ultimately reduce claims and associated costs.

Wearable technology is gaining momentum in the world of consumer electronics particularly since the Consumer Electronics Show took place this past January in Las Vegas where many new products were unveiled.

This technology is also gaining traction in employee health and wellness programs. Here at All Star, we are currently in the middle of a Biggest Loser weight-losscompetition that is happening in tandem with a step competition. In the step competition, employees can utilize either their wearable Fitbit device or a company-issued pedometer. These programs are optional and offered as part of our overall Wellness Program. More than half of the company’s employees are taking part in the walking competition with 10 of the participants (and counting) wearing Fitbits. During the 8-week program, employees are eligible to earn points based on individual and team stepping success.

What company executives here and elsewhere want to know is – does this type of technology motivate users to increase their healthy activity? Based on All Star’s own case study and the countless articles that keep popping up on the topic – it certainly seems to be the case. In fact, many Fortune 500 companies have begun issuing the technology to employees as part of their own wellness initiatives.

Based on this growing trend and its’ positive impact on the health of users – insurance companies are also paying attention. It will be interesting to see how wearable technology evolves and continues to play a role in wellness programs. Furthermore as the technology advances and likely gains the ability to track additional biometrics we can consider potential future benefits in the areas of personalized health care and reduced health care costs and insurance premiums.

These benefits may be a ways off but the movement is there. Consider taking a look at some of the more interesting articles on the topic listed below.

Stats, fact and figures, and data in general can be a tricky thing if not used properly. This type of information can often have a wow factor to help prove a point, sway a vote, inform an audience, or just support an overall argument.

Here at All Star, we use them often to relate what is happening in our industry – we talk about engagement, loyalty and safety all with the support of research studies highlighting key data that reinforce why rewards and recognition programs work and what makes them successful.

One of the single-most frequent questions I get, from prospects and clients alike, is “How will I know my program is working?” What we often find when talking with potential clients is that most of them do not have a benchmark of where their audience (employees, customer, etc.) currently stands relative to their program objectives. This, of course, makes it quite difficult to really begin to measure results. Ultimately, if a program’s results can’t be measured – then one cannot quantify the value of the program being proposed or implemented.

It is truly critical to mine this data prior to launching a program. Depending on the type of program being launched – this information may include safety records such as accidents and near-misses, sales figures, customer service scores, employee satisfaction levels, retention, and more. In some cases, companies may have this information on hand and in other situations the data may need to be obtained through additional surveys and research. In either case, it is important that the data be pulled together and used as the yardstick by which to measure all future results.

The next step in the data process is to measure results frequently – collect data along the way and analyze it so that you may use it to your advantage. If the results of your data are not measured against the benchmark – then it is just data for the sake of data. Be sure to take the information and utilize it to refine and enhance your program. Even facts that show your program is on a successful trajectory have the ability to identify areas where improvements can be made.

At minimum, we would recommend that program results be analyzed annually but consideration should be given to more frequent assessments to insure that the program is on its way to achieving company goals as well as a positive ROI.

Sales incentive programs are an effective tool when considering additional ways to motivate your sales force. One objection I hear time and again from potential customers is that their sales people are already heavily compensated with commissions and other cash-like awards so therefore there really is no need for any additional recognition or rewards.
At All Star – we feel strongly that is not the case. Survey results published by the Aberdeen Group and distributed by the Incentive Research Foundation certainly speak to the fact that non-cash incentives and recognition are a sure-fire way to push your sales force to greater heights.

Interestingly enough the survey also takes into consideration incentives and recognition programs that are managed in-house as well as by an outside provider. Findings indicate that those companies utilizing an outside resource outperform those that do not when looking at key performance indicators.
Check out the full paper with results here.